'There's no show without Pauline!' - Lesley Joseph on why Birds of a Feather will never return

Lesley Joseph has opened up about the emotional reason why TV show Birds of a Feather will never return - and it’s because of her friend Pauline Quirke.

It was revealed earlier this year that Pauline, 66, is suffering from dementia, having initially been diagnosed in 2021.

And due to Pauline’s illness, Lesley, who played hilarious Dorien Green on the long-running sitcom, alongside Pauline and Linda Robson, says they will not make another episode.

Speaking to Woman’s Own at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards, she said, "Everyone knows about Pauline… and Linda and I wouldn’t do it without her."

The actress adds, "It’s gone now, and there’s so much else I want to do. We did 129 episodes."

But one part of the show that will always stay with Lesley, who recently turned 80, is Dorien’s racy outfits.

Asked the secret to her longevity, she said, "My mother lived until 103, so I don’t know. I walk everywhere."

Lesley continues, "I am a little overweight at the moment, as I had a shoulder operation, so I was in a sling for eight weeks. I just eat carefully - it’s because I have all of Dorien’s clothes! I want to fit into them!"

She adds, "I’ve got the one when I sang Like a Virgin, which has all these [suits of playing] cards all over it – I never want not to be able to wear that dress. So it’s in my head, 'You’ve got to get in that dress.'"

Birds of a Feather ran from 1989 until 1998, then was brought back by ITV from 2014 to 2017.

There was a Christmas special in 2020 without Pauline, who, it was claimed at the time, wanted to step back from showbiz to focus on her performing arts academies.

However, just a year later, she was diagnosed with dementia, and she has largely stayed out of the limelight since, though she did receive an MBE from Prince William in 2022.

Linda, 67, and Pauline have been friends since childhood, and Linda has admitted that dealing with Pauline’s dementia has been a challenge. "I’ve known for the last three years that she wasn’t well," she says.

"I managed to keep it a secret. It was very important that I did, because it was up to her family when it was time to let everyone know," she adds.

Linda explains, "I’ve been FaceTiming. There’s not much conversation, but it’s just nice to see her face, really. She’s in the best place and she’s got family looking after her."

Pauline's family have recently offered an update on her health. Having previously remained private bout her diagnosis, her son Charlie, and husband, Steve, spoke to BBC Breakfast in a bid to raise awareness of dementia.

When asked what stage Pauline is at in her dementia journey, Steve says, "We don't know. She's still funny. She's talking. She's happy."

Charlie adds, "My mum knows exactly who we are. Every time she sees all of us, she smiles, laughs, says 'I love you', says 'hello'."

Steve continues, "It's a long journey. If we can just help a little bit by using Pauline as the catalyst to make more people aware, then we should, to use her to boost awareness and raise funds for dementia research."

While Pauline’s co-stars also deal with the pain of her health battle, they are making sure to keep busy. Explaining her full diary for 2026, Lesley says, "Well, after pantomime, I’m doing a Jim Cartwright play in Manchester, which is quite serious."

"Then I’m doing cruises, I do these question-and-answer sessions on cruises. Then I have another job which I can’t talk about yet, so next year is very filled and that’s fantastic."

The actress concludes, "It's going to be a busy year."

A version of this article previously appeared in the November 18th edition of Woman's Own magazine.